Re: SUV's -> carry chains, ix with chains in trunk (long)

[Josh Sirota <jss@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Matthew Shaw wrote:
> On my first trip to Tahoe for the ski season in the
> new ix (Thanksgiving weekend) it snowed Friday 
> night, enough to have chain controls go up, (R2).
>
> ...
> 
> I now 
> know that there is a state law VEHICLE CODE SECTION 
> 27460 that says you must have chains (in) the vehicle 
> even though it is a 4WD with M&S tires on it.  The 
> chain restriction signs do say carry chains when it's 
> chains or 4WD with M&S tires only.  I talked to some 
> of my local Tahoe friends and they said that the CHP 
> uses it to hassle people.  If you think about it, if 
> it is a law, why don't they check all 4WD vehicles to 
> insure that they are carrying chains at the chain 
> controls?

My BMW isn't 4WD (at least, it doesn't say so :-), but my ski vehicle is
an AWD Ford Explorer.  I just wanted to say that it really is a good
idea to carry chains even in such a vehicle.  CalTrans will usually
close the road before they go R3 (4WD *and* chains required) but I've
encountered R3 conditions going over the summit near Northstar, but
never on 50 or 80.  They don't even have signs that say R3 (they all
said R2, chains *or* 4WD w/snow tires required), but if it's R3, believe
me, they'll make you put on chains regardless of what the signs say. 
Sure was a good thing that I'd been carrying chains that I thought would
never be required!  Why did I have them?  I knew about the law, and I'd
read the signs (carry chains!)

I agree that they should check everyone, but you surely understand that
if they did that, the lines at the chain control checkpoints some
weekends would be truly horrendous.  Better that they don't.

I think it's pathetic that they didn't want to just take a look-see
under your front end.  Oh well.

Josh

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